Xbox Game Pass is one of the most popular subscription services in gaming for a reason, offering hundreds of free games and hours of quality content, unique membership benefits, and access to day-one releases like this year’s GOTY winner Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. While Game Pass has recently faced price increases and a restructuring of its various tiers, it continues to deliver some of the best content available.
Perhaps the best example of what’s on offer with Game Pass is its highest-rated game, Grand Theft Auto 5, which has an undeniable 97 on Metacritic. Xbox Game Pass’ highest-rated open-world game will hardly come as a surprise to most players, with GTA 5 being one of the most popular games of all time, but top-tier games like it on Game Pass are undeniably a huge bonus incentive for the service.
GTA 5 Is The Highest-Rated Xbox Game Pass Game Right Now
Grand Theft Auto 5 is easily the highest-rated open-world game on Xbox, and it’s likely one of the highest-rated games on the platform period, which feels completely earned when you look at how engaged the community is after all this time. Years after its release, GTA 5 continues to dominate Xbox rankings.
Players praise the scope of GTA 5’s open world of Los Santos, with unparalleled immersion that extends to even the finest details of the game. Even compared to newer titles, fans still highlight GTA 5’s attention to detail as a benchmark the genre hasn’t fully surpassed. The ability to switch between three protagonists, each with their own tone and story, remains a standout feature players cite as keeping the experience fresh.
What’s especially notable is GTA 5’s longevity. Many highly rated games peak at launch or begin to taper off after a few years, but GTA 5 continues to bring players back, either through GTA Online or simply because the core gameplay itself is so replayable. Players talk about jumping back in years later and rediscovering things. While GTA Online draws mixed opinions, the core single-player experience is almost universally respected.
It really isn’t surprising that Grand Theft Auto 5 has a 97 Metacritic score. From the moment it launched, GTA 5 set a new standard for open-world design, delivering a map that felt like a living, reactive space. Los Santos is dense, layered, and packed to the brim with detail that rewards exploration in ways few games ever have.
The game’s structure and story are also incredible. Critics frequently point to GTA 5‘s writing, performances, and mission variety as proof that Rockstar was pushing genre expectations to a new level. When you add in its replayability, cultural impact, and lasting relevance across multiple console generations, a 97 score feels like the natural result of Rockstar’s signature approach to making dynamic and immersive worlds.
Xbox Game Pass games aren’t all winners, but it’s undeniable that the service includes the best of the best when it comes to GTA 5. If you aren’t a Game Pass member already, games like Grand Theft Auto 5 are a perfect example of what makes a subscription worth every penny.
Grand Theft Auto 5
- Released
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September 17, 2013
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
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Rockstar North
- Engine
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Rockstar Advanced Game Engine
